Usually musicians tend to live in or near big cities; this is understandable as promoters and impresarios always have their offices in the heart of the big city where it all happens. In order to be part of it, a musician should be easily contacted. Not Ralph Sutton; he lives out in the mountains, 200 miles from the nearest city of any size and that, my friends, isn't very logical nor terribly practical for a musician. But Ralph Sutton just isn't very logical or practical. He avoids trends and fads in jazz; h!;! just plays his own inimitable, incomparable jubilant jazz style and remains one of the very few genuine individuals of our music today! Reason why Ralph Sutton can afford to stay away from it all, far from the hectic cities with all the noise, far away from that rat-race and stay himself, quiet, relaxed, true and unique ...

The promoters and booking agents know where to find Ralph and keep him busy, he doesn't have to accept the jobs he doesn't fancy, he prefers to work places with an audience that pays attention. We were lucky to have him in Holland a couple of times and even have the pleasure to record that special Sutton touch. We made one record with Ted Eaton's Jazzband, featuring Ralph Sutton, and afterwards we hung around the piano. Ralph kept playing because he liked the instrument we had at the club so much. In between his talking about the bad pianos he encountered during his tours and the club owners buying highly expensive furniture for their clubs but stuck to a two-dollar-piano, he kept playing some beautiful tunes.

After talking about all the famous people he worked with and for, like Jack Teagarden who actually booked him first and kept him three years in his famous band, and Eddie Condon with whom Ralph worked in New York City eight years straight, he then just sat there smiling to himself and humming softly while his enormous hands put the most beautiful sounds on tape.

What surprised us more than anything, he never hit a sour note, everything came out so elegantly, so completely original. I don't think he ever played a musical cliche. It all came out just like that, off the cuff... Here's a record by a master, a man with great style, a man with impeccable taste, a truly creative jazzman...

- Ted Easton